Harmonica



(No Model.)

J. T. SMITH.

HARMONICA.

No. 368,789. Patented Aug. 23, 1 887! N. PETERS. PMiwLhno-nphvn Wadi-11m D. C.

- or left between the lips.

.j ures the lips.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN T. SMITH,- OF ROCKFALL, CONNECTICUT.

HARMONICA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 368,789, dated August 23, 1887.

(No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN T. SMITH, of Rockfall, in the county of Middlesex and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Attachmentfor Harmonicas; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, iu-

Figure 1, a perspective view of a mouthpiece detached; Fig. 2, a perspective view of an instrument with the month-piece applied;

Fig. 3, a transverse section through the instrument andmouth-piece; Fig. 4, a modification of the mouth-piece, showing the openin g as made adjustable.

This invention relates to an improvement in the instrument commonly called harmonica-that is, an instrument consisting of a block having a series of reeds to which a corresponding series of openings in the edge of the block lead, so that the edge of the block applied to the month permits the reeds to be sounded either by drawing in or discharging the breath through the passages leading to the reeds. These instruments, although usually formed with a wood body, are provided with a metal casing upon opposite sides, upon which the lips of the person using the instrument must rest, and so that these metal surfaces drag upon the lips as the instru mentis moved to the right This frequently in- Again, several reeds are exposed to the month, with no degree of certainty as to how many are so exposed, so that if, for illustration, but three reeds are desired to be used very great care must be exercised that a fourth, or even more, are not embraced within the lips, so as to permit air to enter or escape through the said several reeds, thus interfering with the proper working of the instrument.

The object of my invention is to provide a mouth-piece for the instrument which will rest stationary between the lips while the in strument is moved from right to left, which mouth-piece is adapted to embrace a predetermined number of reeds only.

A represents the mouth-piece, (see Fig. 1,)

which is best made from sheet metal,and is bent into shape corresponding to the shape of the instrument in transverse section, and so as to set over the edge of the instrument, but slide freely thereon from right to left. Through the top of the mouthpiece-that is, that portion which lies directly over the reed-openings-an opening, B, is made, in length corresponding to the number of reeds desired to be embraced in a single action. The mouth-piece is applied to the instrument as seen in Figs. 2 and 3. The person using the instrument holds it in the usual manner, placing the lips upon the mouth-piece. The lips embrace the mouthpiece, so as to hold it firm with the lips, and so held the instrument is free to be moved through the mouth-piece to the right or left with perfect freedom. Under this arrangement only a certain particular number of reeds are embraced within the limits of the mouthpiece, and the difficulty of accidentally including other reeds is avoided, and the friction of the instrument upon the lips, which produces disagreeable results, is also avoided.

In some cases it may be desirable to make the opening through the mouthpiece adjustable, so as to embrace a greater or less number of reeds. To do this I apply over the mouth-piece an auxiliary cap, 0, (see Fig. 4,) the mouthpiece having a maximum-sized opening through it, while the cap over the mouth-piece has a corresponding opening, so that the maximum opening may be utilized by bringing the two holes to register the one with the other; but by sliding the cap upon the mouthpiece, asindicated in broken lines, Fig. 4, the opening may be contracted to any desirable extent.

The particular shape of the wings or sides of the mouth-piece, which extend down upon the side of the instrument, may be varied to suit different months, it only being essential to the invention that the mouth-piece shall be adapted to be applied to the edge of the instrument and slide freely thereon, and so as to prevent the contact of the lips with the instrument.

I claim- 1. The herein-described attachment for harmonicas, consisting of a mouth-piece shaped to embrace the edge of the instrument and 10 of maximum size through it to expose a certain number of reed-openings in the edge of the instrument, combined with an overlapping" cap adjustable on said plate to vary the size of opening to the openings in the instrument, substantial] y as described.

JOHN T. SLvllTl'I.

\Vitnesses:

ARTHUR B. CALEF, DIINERVA O. CALEB. 

